Halloween 2018

Well Boos and Ghouls, Halloween has come and gone. It always amazes me how I spend the whole month, even year looking forward to it and it's over in a couple hours. I guess that is what Christmas feels like to everyone else.

So to start my day off I wanted to go wash the hearse, but I stopped to air up a tire and get a coffee at the local "Maverick" convenience store.

I came out of the convenience store and a couple young men yelled at me they liked my house, meaning my hearse. So I was a little confused, but said "thanks" anyway... I'm not sure if they thought I just looked homeless or they thought a hearse would make a good home? I decided that they were going with the hearse is a good mobile home and get away car for vampires...

There were some firsts for me, I had to scrub the crappy clay dirt up here from my hearse! It sucked, once I was done I thought I needed a nap! Right in the middle of it all a guy pulls up to wash his car and he asked me about my coach. I showed it all to him and I explained how they were made yackitty smakitty… and then I said something about it being called a "hearse" and he looks at me, straight faced and says, "what is that?" I just held my arms open wide and gestured to my hearse.

This was also my first "Trunk-or-Treat," something of a necessity since I have moved from the city to the rural county side. This enables kids that live outside of the city limits, on farms or ranches to all gather someplace and get candy. It's kind of like in valley were you just bus the kids into the most affluent neighborhoods to get candy.

I pulled up and a young man said for me to park next to a fire pick-up truck (so not the big fire truck but a pick-up truck) which I did. Then I set about putting spider web on my coach and just decorating for the evening. From behind me I hear some woman say, "I'm sorry but that is just creepy." I just said something over my shoulder like, "isn't that the point?" as I continued to decorate. Then I put my church truck out and pulled my casket part way out of the back and perched it up on the church truck.

The Trunk-or-Treat is extremely fast paced, seriously, there is no break, I threw candy in bags for a good two hours non-stop. In the neighborhood Trick-or-Treat, you got a break after one mob of kids would show up then you could go to the bathroom, do a shot or re-supply candy. The nice thing is I didn't have to spend $100 on candy this year. I bought the biggest bag I could find for $10 and that's all I had to get. The Trunk-or-Treat supplies the candy!

Now as to the best costume, for me it was a kid that dressed up as a faun from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The kid made their whole costume from armor to cloven hooves! There was a girl, I'm not sure what she was supposed to be but she made a wide toothy grinning mouth using hot glue and fake stiletto nails. She affixed her home made prosthetic to her face and then covered it with a hospital mask. When she got up to me, with a great flourish she pulled her hospital mask off one ear to reveal her grotesque maw. I thought her prosthetic was well done. There was also a cute little robot costume made out of cardboard and one family showed up in those inflatable t-rex costumes!

One kid showed up in a Santa costume, and I tried to spread the good word of Krampus. He just looked at me funny, I told him to look it up when he got home.

I thought it was interesting that people kept asking me if I was from the Silver Creek or Owens Livingston Funeral homes (I'm shocked there are two of them up here). I tried to make it clear that this was my own personal vehicle and not one of the funeral homes. I know that sometimes funeral directors don't like people that aren't in the bizz to drive coaches around, and especially not ones with caskets in them.

I suppose I should mention my costume... I really wasn't sure what I had to wear, but luckily crap that I took to HearseCon included my skeleton poncho, then I had the hat my friend Tina made me and gave to me at HearseCon and I bought a skeleton half mask off Amazon. Not my best costume, but I thought it was pretty cool considering most of my stuff is in storage a the moment. Sorry no pictures I was just to tired and it would have been a selfie. Harvey was my co-pilot and he finds phones difficult to use because he's just cold and boney.

All in all it was a good time and I look forward to doing it again next year.

I haven't been able to ride in a week due to weather and adulting. I have been extremely frustrated about that. So today when the rain storm showed up at 1:00pm, I was pretty bumbed. Then the rain passed and the sun came out! OH GOODIE! 

Some back story today, besides the rain, Finn has been harassed by cattle drinking her water all day. She's also been pretty amped up and excitable. 

About 4:00pm (I don't know why I'm listing the times as if they are important). I go out to the barn, I notice a cow tipping Finn's water bucket over, it obviously was empty. So my mother in law filled the bucket while I went into the barn. I got Finn all saddled up, but I don't have a round pen, I would have defiantly round penned her today.

So I half ass longe Finn, we both kind of suck at longing... Everything seemed okay, but with all the factors I thought something might happen. So I mount up and I start flexing Finn's head around and I notice things aren't quite right. In fact they are quite wrong, Finn is pinning her ears back and crow hopping! Luckily I was attempting to flex her head, so I already had her head turned as she was trying to hop. At the same time I was kicking her, to make her move forward. 

In my adult brain, I'm thinking, "this horse is gonna throw me." The kid me, "just kept her head turned and hang on!" Fortunately I managed to stay on and stop the rodeo.

But wait there's more! So I told the Waffle where I was going and headed off down the road toward the neighbor that has dogs. Finn doesn't like dogs much, and when I saw that he was on his excavator and there were two little dogs running around, I did turn around. Then I thought, "well, I suppose today is as good as any to get pitched off, Finn needs to see the excavator!" So I turned back and yelled at the dogs to, "git!" The fortunately listened to me and I began riding toward the excavator, Finn looked at it but didn't seem to mind it. We got all the way passed it and she was only concerned when it was behind her, and she wasn't very concerned at that.

More back story here, when we were at the stable in the valley there was a rock quarry nearby and they had huge earth movers and excavators running at all hours. Finn was so fearful of those machines that it was really challenging to take her out on the trail. In fact it was down right nerve wracking because she was SO spooky. I did a lot of ground work with her when her allergies got bad, and that really seems to have helped.

Finn was more concerned about the other neighbors sheds than she was about the excavator!

On the way home she did do her patented "jump stop" spook. It's weird it's like she jumps and puts her legs out wide, like a dog when they are wanting to play. At leas that is what it feels like she does. So I made her do circles to get her head back in the game.

After that she was fine and we finished out a nice ride, can't wait to do it again tomorrow.

The zombie horse... that broke my heart

As you may or may not know, I am having to give my horse antibiotics twice a day for an infection she got in her nose.

Now the stables I board at is gated and just like a gated apartment complex you must punch in a code and the gate opens. The gate at the stable isn’t very reliable.

I had been out with family all day so when I got the meds and was out to the horse for her evening dose, it was drizzling and dark. I pull up to the key pad a punch in the code and the final tone sounds I look at the gate expectantly… Nothing… “Maybe I punched it in wrong” I put the code in again the final tone sounds

Nothing…

Well maybe if I punch in the code and run over to the gate and try pushing on it…

Nothing.

Now probably 20 years ago I climbed the fence to get into the stable when the gate wasn’t working (or I forgot the code). Now at 42? Yeah I want no part of scaling the fence.

I know that I had seen vehicles out on the trail, if I can find where they get in I can drive the Jeep over to the area where my horse’s stall is. So I drive around and nothing… I do, however, find a gap in the fence where I can fit through.

I consider, should I just go home and forget her evening dose? Should I walk through the desert at night on a trail that I’ve personally never been on? Should I go around the fence and get on the drive way and walk that in, even though that is meandering and will be a much longer walk?

Of course, the most logical choice is to walk a trail that I’ve never been on before… at night… in the desert… while it’s drizzling….

On a good note I had a flash light with me, not just my phone.

So, I get out of the Jeep and curse my luck, I grab her medicine and the coffee can full of pellets and strike off into the desert.

Now, I’m not afraid of the animals, if there were any, I know coyotes can be a problem, but I am always more concerned about humans. I didn’t think any homeless people would be out this far and I could probably walk past them, I’m sure they don’t want to be bothered and neither do I. Generally, I think if I stumbled on humans in the desert at night, I don’t think they are going to be up to any good. That’s what scares me.

With these thoughts in mind I walk down the trail shining the flashlight on any bushes I thought looked suspicious and looking behind me every so often. The desert is quiet, and that is something I like about the desert.

Once I get closer to the horses I can hear the cribber cribbing, poor horse. I start thinking there is a gate in the fence and I begin looking for a trail off to the gate, but I didn’t see one, so I carefully picked my way around bushes and avoided cactus. I found the fence I needed and climbed through.

Now that I feel safe my mind wanders back to this whole bull shit operation that I had to climb through a fence and walk all the way back here. Granted it’s not a particularly long walk, thought it would have been twice as long if I walked the drive in.

I start thinking about the night that I had to have an emergency call to have vet come out and check my horse. What would I have done if the gate didn’t work? Would the vet have been willing to walk in and look at my horse? What medical supplies would have been needed, would the vet have been willing to carry that stuff in? Should I complain to the barn manager that the gate didn’t work. People had no problem complaining about my horse when she was sick.

All these thoughts running through my head when I become vaguely aware of a large white skeletal creature looking at me. I stop… I look to my left… and there stands a giant skeletal horse… I stare, I blink my eyes, because that really can’t be standing there!

As I return to my senses I realize this creature is in a stall, its ONE of the horses in the stable.

I walk over to this thing, still not really believing what I am seeing…

And then my heart breaks…

It was a skeletal horse because it was grey and looked as if it has been starved. I don’t usually come down this way and I hadn’t ever noticed this horse. I don’t know if it is a rescue or an old horse. It IS a giant, I think it’s withers are as tall as I am… It had to be 16+ hands tall. It wasn’t a draft horse, but I suspect maybe it was a thoroughbred or maybe some exotic (to me) horse like a holsteiner.

I went over to it and it seemed to be propped up by the fence. There was hay in it’s feeder, making me think maybe it was just and old horse that was losing weight. It didn’t seem to be eating the hay. I gently stroked it’s cheek, it looked at me. I wanted to look at it’s teeth to see how old it was, but I didn’t have the heart. The horse looked like it was going to fall over any minute and the fence was the only thing keeping it vertical.

I felt silly and sad. I wished I could help this horse, of course my first impulse is to feed it, but it had food. One also never knows with something like this, if I give it food maybe that will cause it to colic or founder… If it didn’t have any feed I think I would have probably would have fed it, but there was feed.

I stepped away and went to my horse who lightened my heart, I gave her, her medicine and her ration of pellets.

On the way back out I stopped by the horse again and stroked its cheek and neck. I wish I could have offered it some comfort. It’s at the stable I am, and I’m sure that it is being cared for. I assume it’s a rescue or an old horse in decline, but it was definitely sad to see.

EDIT: I discovered that this horse was owned by an older gentleman that didn't want to put it down as long as he lived. He spent thousands and thousands of dollars to keep this horse alive. It had some sort of wasting disease where it's body could no longer absorb nutrition from it's food. It passed away some time last week.

Fabrications, the direct result of Robert Graves' invention of a tree calendar

I'm just putting this link here so I can find it moving forward... I did not write this, this is from Peter Berresford Ellis who was Educated at Brighton College of Art and the University of London, Ellis graduated from North East London Polytechnic (now part of the University of East London) in Celtic Studies in 1989. He also earned a master's degree in Celtic Studies from the University of East London (1993).

The Celtic 'tree zodiac' fabrications, the direct result of Robert Graves' invention of a tree calendar', have become an almost insurmountable barrier to any serious study of the forms of astrology that were practiced by pre-Christian Celtic society. For fifty years, from the time Graves' published his book The White Goddess (1946), a veritable industry has been built up among his acolytes, which preach artificial astrological ideas based on Graves' spurious arguments. Some have even published books on what they fondly term 'Celtic Astrology', manufacturing a completely artificial 'astrological system'.

The Fabrication of 'Celtic' Astrology

The demise of the Cat-faced Spider

This was a poignant story in my life... When I was a kid my parents caught a spider that looked like this, a "cat faced" spider. They caught it for me because they thought I would like to see it, because it is pretty much the most bad ass spider I have ever seen in my life!

I now, know it was a Araneus gemmoides, commonly known as the Jewel Spider (a name shared with Austracantha minax) and Cat-faced Spider.

So with the coolest spider ever, I went to school to show my friends and my science teacher. The spider was a creature of much wonder, many ooo'ed and awwwed at it. Seems to me I was in my science class and my teacher wanted to talk to me about an unrelated matter, so I went up to her desk. When I returned to my desk, I was presented with the jar the spider was in. Now the poor thing had a gash in it's large abdomen where orange-brownish gook was leaking out... Presumably important stuff for it to remain alive. Apparently a boy that sat next to me thought it was fun to spin the spider around the jar. I was told sorry of course.

I was devastated, I had never intended for that spider to be harmed, it was going to have it's one day adventure going to my school and then I was going to set it free when I got home. I felt so guilty, and rightly so, that creature lost it's life because I took it out of it's home.

Favorite Krampus links

Our favorite Krampus links, this entry is constantly being updated, so there are probably new ones

Phoenix Krampuslauf 2018!!!
https://youtu.be/McTyKg7p4Mc

Who are the Companions St Nicholas Travels With?
http://germangirlinamerica.com/st-nicholass-companions/

Free Online Krampus Advent Calendar.
http://regina.bayern/

Krampus of Los Angeles
http://krampuslosangeles.com/about-us/

Interview with Al Ridenour of LA Krampus regarding the tradition and the founding of LA
Krampus
https://soundcloud.com/margaretcho/motwithal

The Pagan Origins of the Yule Goat
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thewanderingwitch/2018/12/the-pagan-origins-of-the-yule-goat/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-PAG&utm_content=thewanderingwitch&fbclid=IwAR2Q3z71IVq_doAyvSmNIuckwQ1zFDIEZyCOHNHgm9uAoqV4yVTBgHfKCrI

The Yule Goat Sneaks Heathen Tradition into Christmas
https://www.rationalheathen.com/2017/12/06/the-yule-goat-sneaks-heathen-tradition-into-christmas/

Christmas in Finland - Joulupukki
https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/finland.shtml

The Mischievous Tomte Spirits of Yule
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/2018/12/07/the-mischievous-tomte-spirits-of-yule/?fbclid=IwAR0Jvo5znNtFI53M2IryEFwZCFSIjZq34whQ_FK7UZLlUQoZbcnO1F5fjjE

An article from Al Ridenour
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-truth-about-krampus

Al Ridenour’s book “Krampus and The Old Dark Christmas”
https://www.amazon.com/Krampus-Old-Dark-Christmas-Folkloric/dp/1627310347

Hawthorn’s Krampus/Wildermann Pinterest Board
https://www.pinterest.com/hawthornFM/krampus-wilder-mann/

The man behind the Krampus mask
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20181206-the-man-behind-the-krampus-mask?ocid=ww.social.link.facebook&fbclid=IwAR05vTSS3C6-HcE_lrW486cFThXN_9yLo5r7UUxfgB3avKxMZfJ4o7C5dWo

The 8 Different ‘Krampus’ Horror Films You Can Watch This Holiday Season
https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3473278/8-different-krampus-horror-films-can-watch-holiday-season/

Why monsters haunt Christmas in Europe but not America
https://qz.com/317080/why-america-doesnt-have-christmas-monsters/

What is the Belsnickel? Why is it part of a Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas?
https://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/12/what_is_the_belsnickel_why_is.html?fbclid=IwAR1NuBFf0WlSdLObbvQIw-lKng1hH9PiXckWLuIz7v9HeON5iut3fFG-VYk

Gryla the Christmas Witch
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-icelands-christmas-witch-much-cooler-and-scarier-krampus-180967605/?fbclid=IwAR2SCmEhyrtBaUOvXcSZp4gs5SauXnGI8INbGI8T1wVeohMWefnuJFZQtrA#Q9jhd2JB5p9TzZqG.01

The Monstrous Visitors from the Mountains of Japan (the Perchten of Central Europe)
https://www.namahage.co.jp/namahagekan/english/namahage.php

Surreal Pictures Show Bulgaria’s Masked Dancers Warding Off Evil Spirits
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/europe/bulgaria/kukeri-survakari-unesco-intangible-cultural-heritage-photos/?fbclid=IwAR1KAiYO3G7zFXtvQdUyLnBsEVj5VIbP98vky-PGnDr3Whes6m1TCgKk0Ag

Horned Headband DIY
http://www.wholesalehalloweencostumes.com/blog/diy-horn-headband/

Krampus hooves DIY
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hooves-from-Comfy-Shoes-No-high-heels/

This Ancient Pagan Celebration In Macedonia Looks Truly Bizarre
http://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-pagan-celebration-in-macedonia-2014-1

Zvoncari The Pagan Slavic Carnival In Croatia
https://www.slavorum.org/zvoncari-the-pagan-slavic-carnival-in-croatia/

The Most Disturbing Images Of ?Krampus, Santa's Child-Eating Counterpart
https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-most-disturbing-images-of-krampus-santas-child-ea-1681356117

I Told You This Village Was Under My Protection
https://io9.gizmodo.com/i-told-you-this-village-was-under-my-protection-1676987889

Pan-Celtic Hoofbeats: Horses of the Dark time (Yes I know not Krampus but interesting)
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/2018/10/horses-of-the-dark-time/?fbclid=IwAR1X2Prck2JL3Js4NETy68krovuaqOHyUO7cXXshOmLloVKxDFCnezltRmw

Ded Moroz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ded_Moroz

Wren Day in Ireland
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/the-excitement-of-the-ancient-tradition-of-hunting-the-wren-on-st-stephens-day-237165371-237793621

He Sees You When You’re Sleeping, and Gives You Nightmares
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/world/europe/krampus-he-sees-you-when-youre-sleeping-and-gives-you-nightmares.html

Letters: Nothing cute or funny about Krampusnacht
http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-nothing-cute-or-funny-about-krampusnacht

Santa’s Horned Helper: The Fearsome Legend of Krampus, Christmas Punisher
http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/santa-s-horned-helper-fearsome-legend-krampus-christmas-punisher-004799

Austrian Villagers to Refugees: Please Don’t Fear Krampus
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/austrian-villager-refugees-please-dont-fear-krampus-n471906?cid=sm_fb

The Mystical Origins of the Kukeri: Bulgaria’s Strangest Folk Festival
http://www.thebohemianblog.com/2016/01/the-mystical-origins-of-the-kukeri-bulgarias-strangest-folk-festival.html

Stunning images of pagan costumes worn at winter celebrations around the world
http://thewildchild.co.za/stunning-images-of-pagan-costumes-worn-at-winter-celebrations-around-the-world/?fbclid=IwAR2buhUQoR5wgKtZ5MKPrRPj1xY_ok6Ampz9w9ovsBvfs1jb8Brt0wlKeJ0

Oh by the Way...
http://ohbythewayblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/carnevale-in-sardinia.html

Mamuthones and Issohadores
https://www.thecrowdedplanet.com/mamuthones/

NSFW: SpookyDan’s Slay Belles Features an Anatomically Correct Krampus
http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/109977/nsfw-spookydans-slay-belles-features-an-anatomically-correct-krampus/

Petaluma says hello to Krampus (This one contains the character, "the crapper")
https://www.petaluma360.com/news/8998567-181/petaluma-says-hello-to-krampus?sba=AAS

Folk icon Krampus to return to Denton for a downtown romp
https://www.dentonrc.com/entertainment/folk-icon-krampus-to-return-to-denton-for-a-downtown/article_56ae48cb-a1e7-5097-86d2-bca7d844e25f.html

Add Milwaukee Krampusnacht to your holiday traditions
https://onmilwaukee.com/seasonal/holidays/articles/krampusnacht-krampus-parade-2018.html

The Living and the Dead at the Time of the Winter Solstice
http://www.folklore.ee/~liisa/too/RY2015/articles/RY2015_51_Pocs.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0-7OhLrB35RWzZXjX8aldf_LaGgKSdTu2u8tK2NmyO62hTsWOwR3npdFw
<--------------------------------------------------->
6 to 8 Black Men by David Sedaris
https://youtu.be/UCUHTDrca4s

YouTube Videos:
How to make a Krampus Costume like the one in the movie!
https://youtu.be/n9rQYIGlIUM

Gruesome Christmas Monster Showdown
https://youtu.be/wdX3BqF1s9Y

Krampus/Christmas Demon Makeup Tutorial
https://youtu.be/lmavwgiaPUc

Fallen Angel | Halloween Make up Tutorial
https://youtu.be/fccBFoXWiBw

Top 10 Christmas Monsters:
https://youtu.be/2KLPWGMs_lE

Grimfrost Yule
https://youtu.be/y8W4d85IyJQ

Kukeri of Bulgaria
https://vimeo.com/59987528

Krampus B!tch
https://youtu.be/KQ2tpq2Gy98

Gastein Krampuslauf 2015 - Krampus & St. Nicholas in Bad Gastein, from house to house
https://youtu.be/PLBQWk_l_KQ

Podcast: KRAMPUSLAUF PHILADELPHIA VOICES: CLAUDIA LEVIN-DORKO
https://krampuslaufphiladelphia.com/2015/09/14/krampuslauf-philadelphia-voices-claudia-levin-dorko-talking-with-ruby-soffer/


Want to try your hand at Carving your mask?
Where to buy Rough Carved masks: https://www.schnitzeisen.at/?fbclid=IwAR3eEvMxk3Ix6KO25lA4Qkb-KJNYtWDtahp7176V8mnlRZsUbCeF3uBFVWM

Video's on carving:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbBZ9yaDg_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf16-4FS9l8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvQXnvs3Itc
https://youtu.be/66hIxVOAGm8?t=148

Smooth-On Free From Air?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ets07_oF8M0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL4BIs9vCGk

https://youtu.be/ecrYdinyuIM

https://youtu.be/cOV1yV6NPAM?t=158

Krampus FAQ

1. How many people attend? Typically around 10+

2. Lauf means run, are we running? We move through a high traffic area, so we would not be able to run, we also try to stick together so the leader should be walking pretty slow. So we literally get dressed up in costumes and walk around in them for a couple hours in hopes of terrorizing or brightening someone's holiday.

3. How far is the walk? Roughly 6 blocks... Typically we start from Fair Trade and end at Bliss Rebar, usually we walk back the whole way it becomes a 12 block walk. If you wish you can park along the route or at the end... car pooling is encouraged.

4. How long does the walk take? Just for the walk about 50 minutes, we recommend you show up 30 minutes early to suit up.

5. Is the walk a bar crawl? This is simply a walk, some folks might choose to go out after but that is not part of our walk.

6. Are children welcome? They are! Please be mindful that we are walking in a high foot traffic area along streets, with lots of cars. BE CAREFUL and watch your children.

6. Do I have to wear a costume? We would love it if you did, but if you just want to come and take pictures or hang out that's fine too... We have a fine assortments of masks if you would like to wear one.

8. Keep in mind this is Friday night down town you will want to give yourself LOTS of extra time to find parking and get down to Fair Trade Coffee shop to suit up.

Here is the route we typically take^^^

Start point
Fair Trade Cafe
1020 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, Arizona 85003

End point
Bliss Rebar
901 N 4th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004